77 Ways to Say “I Love You” in Japanese Like a Native Speaker

Japanese is a beautiful language—and one of the reasons why is because there are numerous ways to say “I love you” in Japanese.

Some phrases will score you a flattered Japanese 彼女 (かのじょ, girlfriend), while others should be reserved strictly for marriage.

In this blog post, you’ll learn 77 ways to say “I love you” in Japanese for every scenario—whether you’re preparing to ask your Japanese crush out for the first time or about to get down on one knee.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

How to Say “I Love You” to Romantic Partners

How do I love you? Let me count the ways!

In Japanese, the most heartfelt way to tell someone that you love them is actually by telling them that you like them! Literally, 大好き (だいすき) means to like something. You can even use it to talk about the objects you love, like food, games, sports, art, music, etc.

But when you say it to someone who you truly love in a romantic way, it’s a way of expressing your deep love for them.

That’s why, even if we may say “I really like you” to platonic friends in the West, this isn’t the case in Japan.

There are many other ways to say “I love you,” with various degrees of formality and extremities:

How to Say “I Love You” and “I Like You” to Friends and Family

So if you can’t tell your friends and family that you like them, how can you express your love for them?

In many cases, you don’t use words. The best way to show your friends that you love them is to, well, show them. You might do something nice for your mom to show her your appreciation or take your best friend out shopping to show him that you care.

But if you still want to put your feelings in words, you can use these neutral, platonic expressions of affection:

How to Say “Will You Marry Me?” in Japanese

When you’re ready to tie the knot with your Japanese-speaking sweetheart, you can use one of these phrases:

Romantic Phrases in Japanese

Sweet talk your sweetheart with some beautiful, romantic Japanese phrases:

Japanese Love Quotes

Love is a popular topic in books, poems, movies and every other artistic human expression. Of course, this means that Japanese literature and film is chock-full of swoon-worthy love quotes. Impress your beloved by using one of these beautiful quotes about love:

Japanese Love Songs

If you’re looking for even more beautiful expressions of love, you’ll find them in these Japanese love songs. From the tender touch of first love to remembering a past love, take your pick from the options below to suit whatever kind of romantic mood you’re in.

• “初恋” (Hatsukoi) by Hikaru Itada — Expresses the nostalgic feeling and pure emotions of a first love.
• “千の風になって” (Sen no Kaze ni Natte) by Team Nekokan — Portrays the enduring love that transcends time and space, becoming a guiding presence like a thousand winds.
• “涙そうそう” (Namida Sousou) by Remioromen — Depicts the reminiscence of a love that brings both tears and cherished memories.
• “糸” (Ito) by Nakajima Miyuki — Symbolizes the unbreakable bond and delicate thread connecting two hearts in love.
• “プラネタリウム” (Puranetariumu) by Ai Otsuka — Describes the ethereal and enchanting experience of love, comparing it to a planetarium where dreams come true.
• “手紙 ～拝啓 十五の君へ～” (Tegami Haikei Juugo no Kimi e) by Angela Aki — Expresses heartfelt emotions and advice through a letter addressed to the 15-year-old self, capturing the essence of self-love.
• “恋愛サーキュレーション” (Koiai Sākyurēshon) by Kana Hanazawa — Depicts the joyful and rhythmic cycle of love, portraying the excitement and fluttering feelings that come with it.
• “ヒカリヘ” (Hikari e) by The Babystars — Conveys the promise of guiding and walking together towards a brighter future filled with love and hope.
• “レモン” (Remon) by Kenshi Yonezu — Describes the bittersweet nature of love, acknowledging both the sour and sweet moments that shape a relationship.
• “宿命” (Shukumei) by Official HIGE DANDism — Portrays a love that is destined, intertwined, and unbreakable, defying the odds.
• “パプリカ” (Papurika) by Foorin — Celebrates the freedom and joy of love, encouraging people to embrace their true selves and dream together.

Saying “I Love You” in Japanese Culture

In the West—especially the United States—it’s very easy to throw the term “I love you” or “I like you” every which way. We tell our friends, romantic partners, pets and family members we love them. As I mentioned earlier in the post, this is different in Japan.

Many married couples will probably tell you that they’ve never been told “I love you” by their partner. This isn’t to say Japanese people are cold and unloving, quite the contrary: Japanese couples merely use the “show, don’t tell” rule.

Married or dating couples in Japan opt to show their partners love through acts of service and loyalty rather than just telling them.

However, you’ll find that younger Japanese people say “I love you” more often than married couples. And in general, it’s rare to use such an expression among friends and family.

Because saying “I love you” in Japanese is so contextual and deeply rooted in culture, it will come more naturally to you by immersing yourself in it.

Of course, you can do this by booking a trip to Japan. But thanks to technology, it’s now more than possible to experience Japanese immersion from home, whether through language exchanges with Japanese friends or online language learning immersion programs like FluentU.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

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Love might be rare to express, but knowing how to say “I love you” in Japanese is bound to come in handy—whether when meeting your soulmate in Tokyo or binge-watching your favorite Japanese drama.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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